To be truthful, I'm a bit of a food snob when dining out. However when it comes to Artichokes it's always a win win for me! Their standard menu has lots of options, but truthfully the specials are phenomenal. The ingredients are consistently fresh, flavorful and cooked to perfection. While recently celebrating a birthday our server Angela could not have been more delightful or attentive. She made our dining celebration even more pleasant! Our various appetizers were awesome.. Meatballs in red sauce, Artichoke Margarita, homemade Ravioli in White Sauce and House Caesar Salad always a fave. Two of us ordered Specials that night which combined Veal, Shrimp and Chicken in Marsala Sauce served with homemade fusilli .. it was incredibly delicious, but huge. I was beyond thrilled to take mine home for lunch. Another guest thoroughly enjoyed the Chicken Ziti Broccoli in Alfredo Sauce. And last, but not least the birthday girl selected Shrimp Fra Diavolo with homemade pasta which she stated was delectable. And because Birthdays always include desserts.. we indulged in yummy Lobster Tail and Cannoli .. In closing I'll admit if you're looking for quick dining.. this is not the place. Artichokes is a lovely, small and family owned restaurant committed to quality so appetizers/meals take time. I personally don't mind waiting for freshly made delicious food vs mass production. Plus in my opinion it's part of Artichokes unique charm, they really want you to enjoy your dining experience. read more

I can't understand the negative reviews at all. Two things matter - great food and great service. Parse through the reviews and you'll see a consensus on the food. I also found the service to be excellent. We arrived at about 6:30 on Tuesday night, and both the dining area and the bar were crowded, but we were seated right away. I ordered the eggplant rollatini appetizer, and the server warned it is ample for two. It was delicious, but ample for four. This is my only complaint - the portions are too large. Heeding the same warning about the entreees, I ordered the appetizer portion of the lobster ravioli. Delicious. Don't be distracted by this snarky comments about vases, stairs, and decor. The dining room is lovely, with large windows overlooking Wakefield Center and wooden floors and furniture. The servers are attentive, and the food is great. I hope they are very successful in the new space. read more

I'm surprised by all the negative reviews on here because my husband and I had a wonderful meal and wonderful service. We went at 5pm so we didn't have to wait for a table but when we were leaving at 7pm the restaurant was starting to get packed. The decor inside was cute and loved the italian music playing. Our server was very knowledgeable. We started with the bruschetta followed by I had the chicken parm and my husband had the seafood special. Everything was fabulous and we had enough food to take home for dinner the following evening. I had this great Malbec glass of wine and my husband had an Italian beer. We had a great time and we look forward to becoming a "regular" customer. read more

My dads favorite veal meal was here. He has stage 4 cancer on hospice. One unusual day he begged for the veal dish. They flatly refused. We pleaded as dad was so upset They said no. No way!!! They also lied and said the owner was a man. It is a woman. We were willing to spend the money for 5 dinners and 3 apps. They refused. Please do not give this unprofessional restaurant a dime. They want the bar money. No compassion for their loyal customers! read more

Just moved to the area, so I have been trying all the local place. In my search for good, quality Italian​ food, I was left unfulfilled​. The food was OK, not bad at all but nothing exciting. I ordered the fettucini. It was pretty basic and a bit "one-note​d". Don't​ think I will be rushing back anytime soon.The waitress​ was very sweet. read more

The food gets 3 stars the service gets 0 stars. If you want good food and you have great company and time to kill-this is your place. Sit in the bar-but unless you're a regular you'll be an after thought. This is still far better than their table service. I've been here numerous times and there is one amazing woman that serves in the dining room but I can't remember her name. Everyone else seems like they are doing you a favor by being there. read more

Tonight was my 4th time at artichokes. The first visit I went on a Saturday night with my husband with a gift certificate and couldn't get a table for 2.5 hours. Paying a baby sitter $12 an hour made that unreasonable so we left. Trip two was with another couple and my husband. Again 2 hours for a table. So we left. Still armed with a gift certificate that we needed to burn, my husband and I returned on a Tuesday night to try to avoid the crowds. I had lobster ravioli and my husband had another sea food meal. They were both amazing. We've been back 2 times as a couple and it's always busy and always delicious. Tonight was my night to plan gno ( girls night out) . Only 1/4 the girls in my group of about 12 regulars showed up. Possibly because my invite showed the yelp rating of 3.5 stars. I personally feel like it was my friends' loss. on a Wednesday night we got in with no trouble and no wait. We had drinks at the bar waiting for he group to show up and when they offered our table we opted to eat at the bar. " Fabio" ( no joke) was our very good looking and personable bartender/ waiter. He provided amazing service and a great attitude. . He also made amazing drinks ( the strawberry basil martini is to die for) , was knowledgable about specials and the menu items and very attentive to our needs. we ordered when we were ready, the food was delivered in a timely manner and absolutely wonderful. We all ate way more than we would have of our huge portions just because it was amazing food. We all had a wonderful time and my friends told me it was a great pick for a restaurant. I think I'd like to point out that all great things are worth waiting for. We are all in such a hurry that sometimes we are impatient and forget to smell the roses. Artichokes is one of those roses worth smelling regardless of the possibility of being polked with its thorns. I say try it. If you are in a hurry go during the week. But the lounge/ bar area is comfy and accommodating even Shen it's busy. The food is amazing, the ambiance relaxing and energizing at the same time, and the cocktails to die for. The hostess and all the servers are amazing. Bonnie read more

Absolutely some of the best Italian food....as good as you'd get in the North End of Boston! No matter what you order, from appetizers to entrees and finishing up with dessert, everything is perfectly cooked and seasoned! Portions are generous and the service is impeccable! Reservations are strongly recommended because Artichokes is very popular and is always packed....including at their bar, where you're also free to dine if you're able to find an available seat, or two! They also have great live music on certain nights on their lower level, where you can also dine. They bring in very talented musicians who provide great music and entertainment, making for a great night out with a group or with a date! Don't miss out and head to Artichokes! read more

I will never again eat at this establishment. After waiting for a table for over an hour my husband and another couple got a table for dinner whereby we ordered appetizers and dinner with several bottles of expensive wine. After dinner we had more dinner drinks and dessert. We paid our bill and were sitting at the table finishing our drinks when the owner walked over and told us there is a two hour "table limit" and if we wanted to linger any longer we should find seats at the bar!! How rude is that! We had just paid over $300 to eat dinner here and the owner has the nerve to treat the customers this way. Apparently she doesn't care what people think - which is obvious by her crazy teenager clothing and transvestite makeup! Don't waste your money eating here. The service across the street is 10x's better! read more

Artichokes made up for my last visit . Service was spot on and the food was excellent. Not sure if they saw my initial review or if this is a change in service but tonight was a night I would recommend. read more

Anyone leaving more than one star for this dump is either a friend of the owner or an employee that is trying to save there job. This place is terrible. I agree with everyone writing about the rube, unqualified and poorly trained service staff. But how anyone can think the food at this dive is actually good is nuts. I went once! Once and that was enough. I did the 1 hour plus waited and all I can remember is the caned artichoke app that tasted like dishwater and my overcook, overpriced steak served to me by a clueless bitch of a waitress. The food is BAD, the service is BAD and the restaurant is BAD. Best thing that can happen is to have it close and get a real restaurant in the space. read more

THIS PLACE IS HORRIBLE!!! Staff is rude- wait for your food is ridiculous!!!! They sat us and we waited 20 minutes for server to come over with water and menu- Place wasn't even busy- she was having conversation with another server. After I received menu I wanted to place my order, but the best is I waited 50 Minutes for my food!!!! I should of walked out- but I was starving at this point!!! I would never recommend this place to anyone not even my dog. If you eat before you go here, then its not a problem because you won't mind the year long wait for OK food read more

Well, I went back again. The food was so good I had to give it a try. We went at 8ish on a Friday night. I stopped in earlier to see if I could make a reservation, but they don't do them. It was crowded when we came back, but we only waited a few minutes for a table. The wine (at the table not the bar) was good, the food was good and we had a lovely evening. read more

Well I have got to tell you that I had one of the best damn meals I ever there. I had a tenderloin of beef special with scallops, shrimp, mushrooms in a bourbon cream sauce. WOW was it ever good. Yes, we spent a little bundle that night with a bottle of wine but we were celebrating my birthday and I was with a good friend and those only come once a year. This review was written and included on the site of the Artichokes in Malden back in 2009 before Yelp had the Wakefield site up... read more

Went on a summer Saturday night for dinner at 7pm. The crowds were what you'd expect for a good restaurant during this time slot. They do not take reservations, which was a disappointment. We had an hour wait, which seemed resonable. The place is pretty small when it's crowded, bar is nice, but not much room to squeeze a small group. The drink menu was extensive, with some specialty martini combos we'd never seen before. Nice to see something new. The size of the martinis was also a plus, hearty glass sizes. We all enjoyed our selections. (group of 4). Waiters were friendly, happy, and extremely professional. The hostess also accurately estimated the wait time, so that was a plus. Menu indeed had something for all the meat and veggie lovers of our group. Everyone enjoyed their meal and portions were again, very generous. We all went home with leftovers. Food was extremely flavorful. I agree the bread some other reviewers mentioned was just blah, but appetizers and entrees were delicious. Overall, I'd give Artichokes a really good review for good food, drink, and service--primarily what we dine out for. Atmosphere was also delightful and kind of cozy with dim evening lighting. Definitely will be a cozy spot to try this winter. The only three negatives which you should be mindful of if these are the types of things to really bug you: Stairs- yes, there are a lot of stairs to up into the restaurant and also to get down to the restrooms. It would be really difficult for anyone who couldn't easily navigate a staircase. Loud- on a busy night during prime time, bar and restaurant were pretty loud. Atmosphere had potential to be romantic, but you might to find a less busy time if that's what you're going for. Space for waiting- Since we were there on a summer night, we stood outside for a while until space cleared at table near the bar. On a cold winter night when this place is hopping, it might be a problem with where people are going to stand/wait. There is not much room. Reviews were really mixed on this place, but we had a great time. I definitely recommend giving it a try yourself. There is a reason it's so busy... read more

We've tried to go sit at the bar here many times but its always been packed. One Saturday we got 2 seats at 5:30pm. The drinks were FAB! Enzo makes an amazing martini and they have quite a selection. HUGE. Like, HUGE martinis. :) We split the artichoke appetizer and it was delicious. I'm a fan. Waitstaff is friendly. Seems like the only place to go for the Wakefield folk. read more

Worst wait staff I have ever run into. Not a smile or warm welcome in the entire clan, make you feel like you are a bother. Food is average but priced like a high end Boston establishment. I asked if they could make me something vegan and they looked at me like I had two heads, they gave me a appitizer salad but dinner size for $28 it was horrible with absolutely no flavor. Any high end restaurant would make a special dinner for vegan customers that was as delicious as the rest of their menu. Husband had the special, it was average and way over priced at $38.00. Want a high end Boston meal, don't bother stopping here better choices in Lexington or pay the city price for a superb meal read more

Absolutely loved this place. Sat downstairs and tried many of their starters as our dining experience. Meatballs were amazing. Loved their sauce as well. No surprise that the artichokes were great. Loved the eggplant too. Atmosphere is cozy and downstairs they have live music too. Highly recommend!! read more

This review is past overdue. I took my God Daughter here last month fo her birthday as she had never been to really nice restaurant. I have been here in the past and always had great service and delicious food. I picked a night and time with few people eating and had Denise as my server. Needless to say service was over the top and attentive. My veil parm was fantastic as always and her chicken parm was cooked perfect. expect to take some home as the portions are huge and you get enough for a second meal. ( just remember to take it with you).Try the upgrade to Fusilli when you order the pasta. It is well worth it. My server knew the menu inside and out and checked on our table frequently. Price is definitely worth it as you basically are getting enough for tomorrow's lunch also. Very enjoyable evening and i have always had a great experience here. on a 1 to 5 star i would give it a 10 if possible. read more

I went in on a Saturday night for the first time and there sure was a long wait. The hostess, Kathleen (sorry I, might have misheard you), was very good about giving me an honest wait time and keeping me posted. BAR We waited in the bar area for 1:20 for a table which was right in line with what we were promised. The drinks were good, the food excellent (get the Warm Salad") and the service - mediocre. It was busy, I get it but after a forgotten order and a 10 minute wait for two glasses of wine I was less than impressed. This isn't a deal breaker, the bar staff seem like great people and with time will get better at working the crowd. FOOD After we were seated, the service changed dramatically. Our waitress was great, she checked in on us enough to be helpful but not so much that we were annoyed. This was reflected in the percentage difference between tips at the bar and to the waitress (10% vs 23%) They were also really good about addressing my shellfish allergy. That said, the food was amazing. Try anything and you'll be amazed. I'll definitely go back. read more

tried artichokes tonight. great space and service. we sat in the dining room which was busy but not crowded (monday at 6ish). Our server was good; no long wait for service, and not overbearing. she was polite, friendly and helpful. The building itself is fantastic. i always heard about the wait times being long, but the building is so huge, i couldnt figure out why. turns out the dining room and bar area are not huge. As for the food, the warm green salad was tasty, with a zesty dressing to give it some spice. i had the veal salvatore. it was good, but to be fair, it would be tough to mess up. veal with mushrooms, mozzarella and red wine sauce. The veal was lightly breaded, and was cooked perfectly for my tastes. We skipped desert, but the menu sounded great. overall, the food is very good. only drawback is that the menu didnt wow me and the specials seemed simple, but that's probably more because I was looking for a new dish, and Artichokes seems to focus on the standard italian fare. one last point, i don't believe they take reservations, and they aren't on opentable. on monday, not an issue, but i am hesitant to return on a weekend because of the wait times. good food, good prices, good service, i enjoyed it read more

I went to Artichokes last night for dinner (Monday) and will absolutely NOT go back there again. We had been to the Malden location on numerous occassions but had yet to try them since the move to Wakefield due to a number of bad reviews we had read. Unfortunately, we didn't listen. While our server was very sweet she was fairly slow with our wine, bread, order taking, etc. The food was decent but things went dramatically down hill, and quickly, when we found a short black hair in the Zuppa di Pesce. Okay, so of course this happens on occassion and, while gross, is not necessarily a deal breaker. The problem is that the manager of Artichokes has no clue what it means to provide good customer service. We notified the waitress immediately and she took the plate back to the kitchen. Note, only a few bites had been eaten and the plate was FULL of the seafood. She came back and told us that they would only charge us half for the meal and offered a plate of pasta with the pink sauce. We're thinking...."Okay, we'll take the dish because everyone else is eating but charge us?" So we speak to the manager and she tells us "no, no, you won't be charged." Waitress comes back and asks if we want seafood in the new dish. Well, duh, sure. The plate is delivered and we realize, this is totally the same plate we sent back, simply warmed up. Same exact seafood we sent back. Whatever, things happen, right? So a few bites are eaten but since everyone is already done we decide to get the check and take it to go. The check arrives and, surprise, we are charged for the whole meal. So we question the waitress. She has no idea that we weren't supposed to be charged and goes to speak to the manager. The manager "stepped outside" so we wait at least 10 minutes for her to come back." The manager comes back and is not exactly apologetic. She tells us that we ate the seafood in the new dish and that we should be charged and wants to know "what we want to do." Uh, HELLO, hair in the food! We're not paying! So she goes back to the kitchen to see what can be done. She comes back and offers to take off half; but very snotty. We remind her of what she told us and she gets very snippy and, again, tells us we ate most of the food. Which, we didn't. So she goes back to the kitchen AGAIN to see what can be done. This has now been going on for at least 20 minutes. So we sit. And we wait. And wait. And wait. Finally, she comes back and agrees to take it off the bill but is NOT happy. So we leave the food because we're simply disgusted at this point and go to leave. At this point, the manager is at her post and sooooooooooo sickly apologetic. So sorry this happened. But the kicker... SHE IS HOLDING A DOG IN HER HAND! IN THE RESTAURANT! And we had to argue with them about their hair in our food..... read more

Went this past weekend with 2 friends for a girls night out - so the slllooooowww service was not a really a problem - it gave us more time to talk. But, it would have been much better if we could have spent the first 25 minutes of our hour long wait with a glass of wine instead of searching for a waitress to take our drink order. After we finally placed our drink order we waited another 20 minutes for the waitress to bring us our drinks. Our waiter was very nice and made a good suggestion not to each order our own salad since they were very big. The bread was not very good - seemed like they got it the day before at Shaws. The food was OK - I got the tenderloin, with scallops and shrimp. For the price it should have been amazing - it was so-so. I would not go there again. There are too many restaurants around that have better food at a better price. read more

Unbelievable. Artichokes margarita are to die for. The lemon sauce is so good!!! I got the chicken Francesca. On the menu it only says veal, but they will make anything you want. Drinks were great and service was wonderful. They don't rush you so if you are in a rush you should let them know. Definitely be back!! read more

My boyfriend and I came here for the first time this evening for our anniversary and I have to say over all it was AMAZING! We skipped out on getting an appetizer and went straight for entrees. I got the chicken ziti broccoli and he ordered the chicken Marsala with a side of broccoli rabe.. Everything was prepared to perfection and all equally delicious! And to top it off the service was outstanding! Our waitress was attentive but not overbearing. When we were done with dinner we informed her we weren't going to order desert due to how full we were but we wanted to see a menu, they change daily so there wasn't a printed menu and she patiently told us each and everything they had this evening. Sadly we could not recall her name so we asked the host.. She says it was Mary! If this is in fact true a big thank you to Mary! You made our first experience there so wonderful that we can not wait to return! Ps.. I'm convinced her name was Angela and we were sitting at 11b ;) you know who you are! read more

We love Artichokes! Since moving to the area a few years ago, we have had the opportunity to experience several restaurants around Boston & neighboring towns, and Artichokes remains a favorite! Beautiful building/decor.....always warmly welcomes. We've never had to wait long for a table, even without a reservation. Sitting at the bar is equally as enjoyable as sitting in the dining room. Also don't forget to visit the downstairs lounge, a gem of an area where they often host live music. One of the best dining establishments on the North Shore! read more

I have given this place 4 try's. The food is spectacular. The service can only be described as sub standard. I waited an hour for an appetizer. When I questioned the delay was told the manager would come which she never did. When I left I spoke with the manager, she said ya that's why I took the apps off your bill. That pretty much was the conversation. What, ya wanna gift card? I will not be returning. Too bad, great food, service 2 steps below a truck stop. And they know it. read more

We absolutely love it at Artichokes. My favorite is the special of filet, scallops and shrimp with mushrooms over home made fusilli...don't ever take that off the menu please. Above and beyond the food being great, Linda P is the absolute best! We always ask for her and her bright personality makes our dinner experience that much better. We love the quaint atmosphere and the seasonal decor. One of our favorites that's for sure. read more

Worst service I've ever had. I literally made this account just to write the review, do not waste your time. The waitress never put our appetizer in- told us it "takes longer than usual" then right before the meal came, told us she didn't enter it. I asked to take home my meal, I only ate half of it and she threw it away. Also asked if the dessert had nuts and she didn't ask the chef because "he wouldn't know". I've never experienced anything like this...absolutely terrible. So disappointing read more

My teenage daughter and I were seated in the upstairs bar recently. I ordered the ziti with my meal, but was given the homemade fusilli. When the bill arrived, my daughter mentioned to our waitress that we were charged for the fusilli. At that moment, I was returning from the ladies room and the waitress said to me in a rude, accusatory tone "why didn't you tell us that we gave you fusilli? We would have taken your dinner back to the kitchen and swapped it out?" I was so caught off guard all I could say was, "I don't know". Then she said to me "just take a couple bucks off the bill". I was staring at the bill wondering how I was supposed to do this! So, she grabbed the bill, walked over to the owner, Maria, and returned with an adjusted bill. Now having had time to think about it, I explained to her that I didn't realize that I got the fusilli until I had started eating my meal. Seeming fine with my explanation, not that I owed her one, she walked over to the hostess station which a few feet away. There was a question I wanted to ask her, so I walked over there as well. The hostess saw me standing behind the waitress, who had her back to me, and quickly said to the waitress "there she is"! So, clearly, they were talking about me! A few days later, I called the owner, Maria, believing that she would want to know how her waitstaff is treating her patrons. When I told her what the waitress said to me, and the tone in which it was said, Maria came to her defense saying, "Oh, she was just trying to help you". I explained that she made me feel like I was trying to scam them out of the fusilli. Maria then admitted that some customers have been known to do that. Next, I explained that I had caught the waitress and hostess talking about me. Her response was, "l don't know that that happened". Again, dismissing my account of events. It was amazing to me that not only was I treated like I was in the wrong by the waitress for her own error, but I then wasted my time sharing this information with a less than receptive business owner. Ultimately, Maria offered to do "a little something" for me next time I came in. I thanked her and explained to her that was not the purpose for my call. Immediately upon ending the call, I decided that would be my last visit to Artichokes. There are way too many great restaurants nearby that provide excellent service and value their patrons, like Sabatino's, right across the street. read more

I did go back to Artichokes and I am giving them a higher ranking. All of our appetizers and main courses were great. Our waitress was very nice and didn't rush us. Oddly enough we went at 7:00 p.m. on a Friday night and we didn't have to wait at all (the restaurant and bar was still full). A friend recently went on Wednesday evening and waited over an hour. Wakefield has been needing a restaurant like this and maybe people are just trying to figure out which is the best night to go. I think it will all even out. So, I didn't have any bread or the Caesar salad which I didn't like before, but that was okay. Everything we had was perfect. I had a perfectly cooked steak, a very flavorful spinach side dish and their homemade pastas are GREAT. Artichokes will become a regular dining experience for us. And we can even walk there. read more

My wife and I had read all the reviews and despite the majority of poor ratings we decided to try Artichokes out for ourselves. It was 6:00 PM on a Saturday so I called ahead and the hostess informed me that they don't take reservations but if we arrived within a half-hour or so the wait would only be 15-20 minutes. We got there about 45 minutes later, found a parking spot directly in front of the entrance and went in. They did a very nice job renovating the old YMCA. The interior is very classy and patrons in the bar area reflected that as well. There were some people with t-shirts on but for the most part the attire was "office casual". The bar had a good crowd and the seats and high-top tables were all occupied. The hostess told us it would be an hour wait. We put our name in anyway and ordered a glass of wine at the bar. The house wine was pretty good, glasses were generously filled. about 10-minutes later we were seated. The restaurant was busy and a however this is usually a good indication that the food isn't bad. The tables were a little bit close together, but who can blame them trying to squeeze a few more into the old YMCA rec room. Bathrooms located below the dining room and it looked like there was another bar down there that wasn't being used. The menu has a good variety, lots of veal dishes. Not being a big fan of veal, I'd like to see a few more steak choices though but there was definitely something on there for everyone. Meals ranged from $17 to $26, not overpriced at all for the quality of food in my opinion. The warm salad that we read reviews about was delicious, I definitely recommend trying it. We ordered the baked haddock and one of the Steak dishes. Both were delicious, perfectly cooked and generous servings. Eating left-overs for lunch today. The service was typical for a newer restaurant (they've only been open 4 months) that was experiencing an overload of hungry customers. The quality of food makes up for the slightly longer wait for the dishes to come out. I'm confused about all the complaints about the stairs. They've been there for as long as I can remember and nobody broke their neck falling down them while it was the YMCA. If you've had a little too much from their extensive wine and martini list during dinner, hold onto one of the four sturdy handrails and you should be just fine. If you can't make it down on your own you should probably call a cab. For the impatient people complaining about the wait, head down Main street to McDonald's. Good food is always worth the wait. All in all we had a great time and will definitely be coming back. If there were problems getting started, they have definitely addressed and corrected them already. Good job, keep it up. read more

Pulling up to Artichokes at 7:30 last Saturday night we expected the place to be busy. What we found was a super packed (I mean PACKED) bar filled with people waiting to be seated for dinner. The hostess told us that the wait for a party of two would be about one (1) hour. Thinking an hour wait wasn't so bad, we decided to squeeze ourselves into the bar area and have a drink while we waited. After speaking with some of the others in the bar we knew our one-hour wait was probably overly optimistic as we spoke with people who had already been waiting over an hour and a half. After two hours and three glasses of wine we were finally seated. We found the service to be average at best, but he food on the other hand, I must say was spectacular (especially the home made pasta). Would I go back? I think I'd go back but would definitely not go on a Friday or Saturday when you can expect to wait forever. It'd just too bad they don't accept reservations...Counting on people waiting for a table and running up a nice bar bill will get old fast with patrons and will begin to turn people off to the place. read more

recently went to artichokes to purchase a gift card for a friend.. The hostess was too busy to help me, so the chef filled out my gift card. I felt really bad that I had to inconvience him, and he sure made me feel that way. I'm really sorry, I sure will not be purchasing one again. This was a quiet afternoon, I'd hate to see how they would react on a busy Holiday season.... My mother and sister in law recently went for dinner. They waited an hour on a quiet Monday evening. The hostess whom she was told was the owner, was too busy with her family to seat them.. Finally after an hour and a half they were seated. I was dissapointed to hear that they food was bland, over sauced dishes were too quickly removed by the waitress, who clearly wanted to go home. Very dissapointed, will NOT be back. I suggest a friendly hostess at the door, dressed appropriatly, and a less arrogant wait staff... Im sure pretty soon there will not be a wait, if they continue on this course. read more

I've never written a review on here, but tonight was so bad that I had to share. So, I went there to meet my mom for drinks and dinner, she picked it and it's my brothers favorite place, they both live in Lynnfield. I was there early, and went to the bar, and tried to order a glass of wine, and asked for the list. The bartender said red or white and then said that she would pick. Not acceptable, I know my wine and just ordered something else after that move. We sat at a table in the bar, the tables we so close, the man behind me moved his chair 3 time into mine once a sat down, hitting mine, as if to let me know that he was there. So as people got up we moved to the bar as a seat opened. My mom ordered a drink at our brief time at the dirty table, and it took the server 5 minutes to realize that we had moved. The bar tender was slow and only really cared about the regulars at the bar, and wouldn't make eye contact with us, she would stay with them while talking to us. We placed our dinner order, she suggested medium for my steak and pasta with marinara, I asked for med rare and oil and garlic. It all came out the way she suggested, not how I had asked. The pasta immediately went back, and came back with raw garlic and oil. The steak was medium, not what i wanted. She never asked how everything was, so I never got a chance to let her know. And wouldn't let us put in a word; she was too busy with the regulars, and couldn't be bothered. My mom had the salmon, which was great, but the spinach was swimming in the cooking water. If the salmon wasn't a fish it would've drowned. The food was fine-ish and we both ate it. The bartender also was eating her dinner behind the bar and really enjoying it. She was wiping her mouth, with her hands and NEVER washed her hands. Totally gross and illegal, take a serve-safe class. Take a break and eat, that is the law too. Nothing is worse that watching some one eat in front of you with bad manners. I paid with a generous 15% tip. I work in the business, or it would've been 0. Never will I be back again, and growing up in Lynnfield and having family there, neither with they. Wow...it really was upsetting for a place I had heard such great things about. But the bartender ruined everything!! read more

So I read the reviews and held my breath.....but it was wonderful! Two of us went on a weekday evening. Got seated right away, my glass of wine arrived promptly and out orders were taken. We split a warm salad which was wonderful and the highlite of my meal. I had a pasta dish that could have fed 4 of us and my friend had a chiken piccata. Overall, a nice meal and I would go back. The restaurant is very inviting and pretty inside. I had been to the Malden location a few times but this place is much bigger and the menu is more extensive. Will definitely be back. read more

WORST SERVICE...SO RUDE....WILL NEVER GO BACK! Friday night our waitress and the hostess were so rude we almost left (in the middle of our meal) because we were made to feel so uncomfortable. We spoke to the owner on the way out about it and she couldn't have cared about it either! How can you run a restaurant with such poor service? The food is good, although totally overpriced for Wakefield....plenty of better places to eat in Wakefield. read more

My husband and I went to Artichokes about a week and a half ago on a Saturday night with out teenaged daughters. We wanted to like the place. We really, truly did, but were disappointed. When we arrived, we were told that the wait would be "about 30 or 45 minutes." We waited for an hour and a half for a table before my husband went to check on the situation. After a total of two hours we were finally seated. The size of the building in misleading. The dining room is tiny, tiny. The lounge downstairs is larger. The food was mediocre. A couple of our meals were downright bland. The waitress was very nice, but we had a hard time finding her for most of the meal. I would not go back to this restaurant. It is way overpriced. You can get better service and similar kinds of dishes done better and cheaper at Bobby C's in Melrose, or even cheaper at Pasta Market in Malden. Save yourself some frustration. read more

I am rating this restaurant with 3 stars for the overall dining experience. The food is deserving of 4 stars. The food was excellent! The portions were big. The value was good also. I would go back for the food. The service was just OK. The hostess seemed a little uptight. She quoted us an hour wait, but then said no it will be about 45 minutes. Shot herself in the foot on that one! The wait was approximately 1 hr. 15 min. She then told the bartender that our table was ready, but nobody came over to get us. We had to go up and ask. We did wait in the bar downstairs. A little cramped down there, but at least there was a place to go have a drink. The drinks were great. Great martini options! Wish the music was a little louder so we could not hear or be heard by the couple 1 1/2 feet away from us at the next table. That was kinda weird. The decor is nice, a little overdone in areas. It did have a nice personal touch which not many restaurants on the north shore have. If we had to go back, we would sit in the upstairs bar to avoid dealing with the wait miscommunications. read more

Went to Artichokes for the first time a few weeks ago. From the moment we bought a house in Wakefield, everyone was telling us to go to Artichokes. I found the menu to be small. But, the food was exceptional. We will definitely go there again! The only downside was that we found the service to be exceptionally slow. We waited an hour for our entrees to arrive. The couple who sat down 20 minutes after us got their food 30 minutes before us. read more